Proclaim
Rated: Fair
Price: $
Location: USA
Quick verdict
Proclaim is best for consumers seeking inclusive nude lingerie that matches a range of skin tones, made sustainably and ethically. What stands out is the combination of genuinely inclusive nude shades with strong sustainability credentials: 100% lower-impact materials, LA-based ethical manufacturing, and innovative plant-based shapewear. BIPOC-owned and female-founded. The main caveats are premium pricing ($34–$118), some customer-reported sizing inconsistencies, and it remaining unclear whether the brand ensures workers are paid living wages despite its stated commitments.
Key info
- Headquarters
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Founded
- 2017
- Product categories
- Underwear
- Price range
- $
- Key certifications
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (materials/factory), GOTS (pima cotton), USDA BioPreferred (TENCEL). Fair for Life (Peru facility).
Proclaim sustainability rating
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We Avoid) to 5 (Excellent). How we rate
Rating breakdown
100% lower-impact materials across entire product line: TENCEL Lyocell, GOTS-certified organic pima cotton from Peru, organic cotton/hemp blend, Bemberg Cupro, EVO bio-based yarn from castor beans, creora bio-based spandex from dent corn, and recycled nylon. Shapewear is 87% plant-based. Small deduction for minimal conventional elastane.
Primary manufacturing in a BIPOC-owned, family-run LA factory ~30 miles from HQ. Workers paid hourly above minimum wage (not per piece). Uses MIT Living Wage Calculator to guide compensation. Peru sock facility is Fair for Life certified. However, the brand claims to audit some of its supply chain but does not specify what percentage.
Low-waste cutting, circular knitting machines for shapewear, fabric scrap collection since 2017, 100% recycled and recyclable packaging, natural hemp label fasteners, donated unsold inventory. Portugal factory uses solar energy. No published carbon footprint data or formal climate targets.
Detailed material sourcing information on the website, identifies factory locations (LA, Peru, Portugal), discusses fair pay approach. No published factory list with names/addresses, no annual impact report, and doesn't specify audit percentage.
Underwear $34–$38, bralettes $62, shapewear $118. Higher than Pact (~$16/underwear) and TomboyX (~$16/underwear). The inclusive nude shade range and material quality justify some premium, but accessibility could be improved.
What they do well
- Genuine inclusive nude range, One of the original brands to offer underwear in multiple skin-tone shades, addressing a market gap the founder identified from personal experience as an Indian-American woman
- 100% lower-impact materials. Across every product: TENCEL, organic cotton, hemp, cupro, EVO bio-based yarn, creora bio-based spandex, and recycled nylon
- World's first plant-based shapewear: 87% plant-based using EVO (castor bean-derived) and creora (dent corn-derived), manufactured in a solar-powered Portugal factory
- Local, ethical LA manufacturing. In a BIPOC-owned family factory with hourly wages above minimum and close oversight
- Zero-waste mindset. Fabric scrap collection since 2017, circular knitting machines, donated unsold inventory, 100% recycled/recyclable packaging
Room for improvement
- Transparency gaps remain. No published factory list, no annual impact report, no disclosed audit percentages, no published wage data. Living wage assurance remains unclear
- No brand-level certifications. While individual materials carry certifications (OEKO-TEX, GOTS), the brand itself is not B Corp or Fair Trade certified. No formal circularity/take-back program for end-of-life garments
About Proclaim
Proclaim was founded in 2017 by Shobha Philips, an Indian-American woman in Los Angeles, driven by a lifelong frustration of never finding "nude" underwear that matched her brown skin. With no formal fashion training, she launched a brand built on two pillars: true skin-tone inclusivity and environmental responsibility.
Key materials include TENCEL Lyocell, Bemberg Cupro, organic cotton/hemp blends, and GOTS-certified organic pima cotton from Mariscal Cáceres, Peru. In May 2024, Proclaim launched what it calls the world's first plant-based shapewear, using bio-based EVO (from castor beans) and creora spandex (from dent corn), manufactured in a solar-powered, OEKO-TEX-certified factory in Portugal. Core products are made locally in a BIPOC-owned, family-run LA factory that pays hourly wages above minimum.
The brand ships within the US (free over $100) and internationally to Canada, Australia, and the UK, with free returns and exchanges within 30 days. All packaging is 100% recycled and recyclable. Pricing sits at the premium end: underwear $34–$38, bralettes $62, shapewear $118: higher than Pact or TomboyX but comparable to small-batch sustainable lingerie brands like Araks.
Proclaim has been featured in Wallpaper, Hypebae, Refinery29, Nylon, Allure, and Harper's Bazaar.
Product highlights
Organic Cotton Square Neck Bralette
Wireless, unpadded bralette in organic cotton, 6 colors including 3 nude shades
$62
Sizes S–3X with dual fit (A–C and D–DDD); praised as "high-quality and super soft"
Mid-Thigh Shapewear Bodysuit
87% plant-based shapewear from EVO and creora bio-based spandex
$118
OEKO-TEX certified; made in Portugal using solar energy; a sustainable alternative to SKIMS
Organic Cotton Mid-Rise Brief
Everyday underwear in organic cotton/hemp blend, full-coverage
$34
LA-made with low-waste cutting; praised for durability in the wash
TENCEL Everyday Bralette
90% TENCEL Lyocell/10% spandex, double-layer wirefree design
$62
Described by customers as "like silk and cotton had a baby"; S–3X sizing
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